Cooking Up Some Kindness – Spicy Curry Pumpkin Bisque

Cooking Up Some Kindness

By Lisa Payne

The holidays bring up so many different emotions for people. For some, it is pure comfort and joy and for others it can feel sad and stressful. You never know what someone’s circumstances are or how their family life feels at home.

If you’ve ever ventured out to shop or have a meal during the holiday rush, it feels like the entire world is unhappy. You know what I’m talking about. The rude drivers, the crabby customers, the impatient shoppers. I try not to judge when a stranger is rude to me. I don’t know this person’s struggles, what may have happened to them that day or what reality they face they when go home.

However, I will never forget the time I was going through a drive thru to pick up lunch. I turned into the lane to order when apparently the car behind me wanted to turn in ahead of me. Since there was no way around me, they sat and yelled at me and made obscene gestures for what felt like forever. I could feel my heart racing and my anger rising. In these situations, I have no problem getting out of the car and trying to reason. But in today’s world that is not a smart thing to do.

So, I made the decision to choose kindness over anger. I can’t control what other people do, but I can control how I react to it. When it was my turn to pay for my food, I told the cashier I wanted to pay for the car behind me as well. She looked at me like I was crazy since she could hear their frustration. I asked her to please tell them I was sorry for whatever I did and I hoped this gesture would make them feel happy.

I’ll never know their reaction, but it didn’t matter. I let go of the anger and took back my happiness by being kind. I had never felt so powerful.

This holiday season, when you or someone you know needs some extra kindness in their life, make this soup. It is sure to warm your soul.

Spicy Curry Pumpkin Bisque

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS: • 1 Tbsp. olive oil • 1 large onion, diced • 5 cloves garlic, minced • 1 teaspoon curry powder • 1 Tbsp. red curry paste (Mae Ploy is my favorite brand) • ½ teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon ground coriander • 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth • 1 15 oz. can pumpkin • 1 cup canned coconut milk • Chopped fresh chives and roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish

DIRECTIONS: 1. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Add curry powder through coriander. Cook 5 more minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. 2. Next stir pumpkin and coconut milk into the onion mixture.

Cook over medium low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Once cool, blend with an immersion blender, food processor or high speed blender until smooth. Return to saucepan and heat for serving. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh chopped chives and roasted pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!